Mazda MX-5
Every model year 2016–2026: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
Every Mazda MX-5 model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per yearWhich model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2020 is the cleanest MX-5 year we hold, and the 2019 the one to check hardest.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2024: best combined mpg 30 → 29
- 2019: best combined mpg 29 → 30
- 2017: best combined mpg 30 → 29
Common questions about the Mazda MX-5
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Mazda MX-5 year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2020 MX-5 comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade A (92/100), 1 recall and 3 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Mazda MX-5 years should I avoid?
No MX-5 model year carries a D or F Safety Signal or a standing advisory. The ranking page orders every year on recalls and complaints per year on the road, and says why.
How many recalls does the Mazda MX-5 have?
Across model years 2016–2026, NHTSA has posted 17 recall campaigns for the Mazda MX-5. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.